Vermouth, Aperitifs
and Digestifs

The vermouths, aperitifs and digestifs category includes the aromatised fortified wine vermouth, which can be red, white or rosé; Italian amaros; fernet, a bitter style of amaro; and Barolo chinato, a digestif from the Piedmont region of Italy.
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Vermouth, Aperitifsand Digestifs

This section contains a wide range of styles from light-bodied vermouths, to bitter fernets, and full-bodied Barolo chinatos.

While aperitif and digestif are used to cover a wide range of drinks that can be drunk before a meal, there are a few main types to be aware of:

Amaro

The Italian for ‘bitter’, amaro is a herbal liqueur that is usually drunk as a digestif. Produced by macerating herbs and spices in alcohol, then bottled at around 30% abv.

Barolo Chinato

Cinchona bark is steeped in Barolo wine (a full-bodied red made from the Nebbiolo grape) and flavoured with herbs and spices to produce a full-bodied robust digestif at around 16% abv.

Fernet

An extra-bitter style of amaro, produced by adding herbs and spices to spirit, and usually bottled at around 40% abv.

Vermouth

An aromatised fortified wine, made by adding botanicals to wine which has had spirit added to it. They can be sweet or dry, red, white or rosé and are usually released at around 15%-20% abv.